


The True Story

by crescent_gaia



Series: Family Matters [1]
Category: Leverage, White Collar
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-23
Updated: 2012-09-12
Packaged: 2017-11-04 04:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 16,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/389683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescent_gaia/pseuds/crescent_gaia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So, Neal forged his birth certificate.  He never had to tell anyone until the one night when a phone call changed everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Realization

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own _White Collar_ or _Leverage_ or its characters. This was written for the gap in season 1 that USA loves to give us. For Leverage, it's around the time in second season where Sophie goes on hiatus.

_"It's for Caffrey."_

_Peter looked annoyed for a moment, before the agent smirked. "Put it on speaker," he ordered._

_The ex-con just rolled his eyes. "Really," he huffed. "Do you think I would be stupid enough to have someone in the business call me here?" Neal asked as Jones hit the appropriate buttons._

_The lights on the phone changed position as the call was transferred, and a cold voice came through the speakers. "Hello Nealan."_

_The blood drained from Neal's face, leaving it a pasty white. His coffee cup dropping from nerveless fingers to shatter on the floor. No, a little voice within him whispered. Not him, it couldn't be him. But it was. He would never forget that voice._

_"What?" Now the voice sounded amused. "Nothing to say to me?"_

_Slowly the fear drained from Neal's bright blue eyes to be replaced by fury. "Drop dead."_

_The man just laughed. "That was note quite the answer I was looking for," he answered. "But there will be other times. We will speak again Nealan, and soon." A loud dial tone filled the suddenly silent room._

_"Get this off," Neal spat yanking his pant leg up. His fingers searched desperately for a latch that wasn't there. "I have to go."_

_"Go?" Peter asked concerned. "Go where?" He had never seen the other so out of control._

_"Anywhere!" Blue orbs shone with an emotion that could only be described as terror. "Just away!"_

_"Calm down," Peter shoved his unofficial partner into a chair, pushing the brunette's head between his knees. "Just breath okay."_

_Slowly, Neal nodded, taking in a slow shuttering breath. He had to calm down. He had to think._

_"Why did that man call you Nealan anyway?" Peter asked knelling beside him._

_"Because it is my name."_

_The agent frowned. "No it isn't." Neal Matthew Caffrey, that was what it said on the ex-con's birth certificate, and he should know._

_Almost imperceptivity, Neal flinched. "Of course it isn't," he tried for nonchalance. "I was just making sure you knew."_

_Peter's eyes narrowed even further, suspicion blooming in his mind. "Neal," he said slowly. "Please tell me your records aren't forged."_

Neal looked up at Peter as he heard a soft plea from the man. He knew that Peter wanted to believe that Neal hadn’t forged his records but he could hear that tinge of doubt. “Okay, so I didn’t forge my birth certificate,” he whispered but his eyes were telling a different story. He wanted to get caught in the lie, to have it all come out. After the moment of panic – of wanting to just run like he had been told to many years ago – he calmed down and realized he could have the help of the FBI. He could track down the man on the phone but he realized he would have to give something first. He wasn’t sure what was left of him to give.

“Christ Neal,” Peter said as he sat down in another chair. “How old were you when you did that?”

“Fourteen,” Neal said quietly. “I was sent to live with my Aunt Sophie. She taught me what my mother couldn’t. That included forging my birth certificate.”

“Why?” Peter asked as he kept his eyes on him. “Neal – I want to know about the guy who just called here. They’re running a trace, especially after you had that reaction to the phone call. But I need whatever you have locked in your head. I need it in order to help you.”

Neal nodded a yes as he let out a slow breath. “My mom – she was good at what she did. It’s the family craft, something that we all learn at one time or another. She was going to go straight until she got pregnant with me. She used to say that I was her greatest work – her shining jewel. My aunt Sophie agreed with her and I was going to be the one to go straight. Get through school, go to college, maybe even law school or med school.”

“Too bad it didn’t happen,” Peter said as he smiled at the thought of Neal as a doctor or a lawyer. He made a mental note to share that with El later. “What changed everything?”

“The guy on the phone,” Neal said quietly. “His name is Emmanuel Grey or at least he was going by that when – when everything happened. He wanted mom for a job that only she could do. I never knew what it was, but he wanted her and her alone. She continued to say no over and over again, so he upped the ante. He kidnapped me and held me for a month. She got me back and made me go into hiding with my Aunt. While we waited for her, we got everything ready. That included a new name for me and for mom. She just – she never showed up. He killed her.” He didn’t realize that as he told the tale, his voice got softer and softer to a whisper. “I need to get him. I need it off to deal with him in my own way,” he said in a quiet voice but his eyes showed that he meant to kill.

“You know I can’t,” Peter said with a soft sigh. “But I can do the next best thing – we’re going to find him. And then let you have a swing at him.”

Neal smiled at that. "Thank you, Peter."

“You're welcome,” Peter said. “For now, we’re going to get you home and I’m going to stay overnight. I know you have a couch there I can sleep on.”

“What about El?” Neal asked. “I have a lot on my plate right now. I don’t want to invoke her wrath as well.”

“You won’t,” Peter replied. “I’ll call her when we get there and explain everything. For now, the important thing is to keep you safe.”

“Thanks,” Neal replied quietly with a soft sigh. 

“Neal, when you were kidnapped, did you go over state lines?” Peter asked.

“What?” Neal asked, looking at Peter oddly.

“When you were kidnapped, did you go over state lines?” Peter asked again, this time slowly so Neal understood the question.

Neal’s eyes widened in understanding. “Yeah. We went from Ohio to Indiana.”

“Then your kidnapping is a federal crime. Those have no statute of limitations,” Peter said with a grin. “We have you as the victim as well as a witness to your own kidnapping. If you aunt wouldn't mind testifying, it would just help everything."

“Maybe not my aunt,” Neal said. “I need to call her now. She said to call if this happened again.”

“Do so when we get home. We haven’t bugged June’s phones,” Peter said to him. “Don’t tell anybody I told you that.”

“Secret’s safe with me,” Neal said with a smile. 

“So, Nealan,” Peter said with a chuckle. “You didn’t think shortening it would just be a give away?”

“I liked it better shortened, but thanks for the vote of confidence,” Neal said with a bit of a smile. “Home then?”

“Yes – we’ll leave the celebrating to another day,” Peter said as he motioned to Jones. “How are we going on the trace?”

“It’s going,” Jones replied. “The guy on the phone jumped through a lot of hoops in order to call here. It would help if we had a name, boss.”

“Emmanuel Grey,” Peter answered. “Run it through everything. Also, we want him for kidnapping.”

“Who’d the guy kidnap?” Jones asked, looking confused.

“Neal, when he was fourteen,” Peter said in a tone and look that said that it stayed between their inner group.

“I’ll get on that,” Jones said with a nod as he turned to go back to his desk.

“Let’s go,” Peter said as he turned to Neal. The two walked out of the building with Peter keeping close to Neal as he did so. The two got into Peter’s car and drove in silence to June’s place. 

As Peter made an apologetic call to Elizabeth, Neal just stared at the phone. Neal finally picked it up and dialed a number he was only supposed to use in extreme emergencies. He cursed mentally as all he got was the voice mail message. “Hi,” he said, his voice cracking as he did so. “Sorry to call on this but I wanted to let you know that he’s back. Peter’s going to help me get him and I’ll just – I’ll try again later. Bye,” he said quietly as he hanged up the phone. He sat down on the couch again, putting his head in his hands as he just waited for the horrible night to end.


	2. Phone Call

Sophie sat down, the color draining out of her face as she listened to the voice message her nephew left on the phone. She couldn’t believe that what he was saying was true but she couldn’t chance it. She couldn’t chance him either by calling him back to talk to him about it. Not with the FBI so close to him that he couldn’t keep proper company. She fingered her cell phone and sighed as she dialed a familiar number. It was a number she swore just a few months ago that she wouldn’t ever again. “Bullocks,” she whispered.

“Hello?” Eliot said as he answered his cell phone. 

“How the hell do you fuck up a job that you told me that was done?!” Sophie yelled into the phone.

Eliot winced on the other end of the line as Nate, Parker, and Hardison all looked up at the hitter. “I – I – hold on,” he said into the phone and looked at them. “What?” He asked.

“How did you get Sophie pissed at you?” Nate asked, a bit amused. “Especially when she’s in London?”

“I really don’t know and I don’t need all of you looking at me like that,” Eliot said as he heard his name yelled by the person on the phone. 

“Do you want me to handle it?” Nate asked.

“No,” Eliot replied as he went back to the phone call. “Calm down,” he said to Sophie. “Now, what are you talking about?”

“Emmanuel Grey,” Sophie replied through clenched teeth. “I hired you back then to just take care of him, Eliot! You should have just done it!”

Eliot turned away from the rest of the group as Nate made a motion to Hardison. “Already on it,” Hardison replied as he started finding one Emmanuel Grey to know what was going on.

The microwave dinged as Parker got up to get it. “I just knew that something would call for popcorn,” she said with a grin to Nate. Nate just shook his head and waited for Hardison to find the information connected to the name.

“I did kill him,” Eliot responded, trying to keep his voice calm. “He died right in front of me, Sophie. I’d think I’d remember something like that.”

“Well, he’s back so you need to explain that!” Sophie yelled.

“I don't have any other way to do so when I just told you that the man died in front of me!" Eliot countered.

“And he is back and harassing my nephew!” Sophie said with a sigh. “And I can’t get to my nephew because of the FBI and he can’t come here and – shit,” she said as she stubbed her toe against something. “I didn’t know what to think.”

“I’ll see what we can do from this end,” Eliot replied. “Maybe Nate will think of something.”

“No! Eliot, you are under instructions not to tell Nate. I do not need his help,” Sophie said.

“Right,” Eliot said as he turned around and saw Emmanuel Gray’s picture on the television. “We might already be past that.”

“What?!” Sophie asked. “Put Nate on.”

“Gladly,” Eliot said as he crossed the room and gave the phone to Nate. “She’s ready to talk to you.”

Nate took the phone. “Hi Sophie,” he said casually as he munched on a bit of popcorn.

“Nate, what are you doing?” Sophie asked.

“Eating popcorn and scratching an itch,” Nate said as he looked over the information on the screen. “How’d you get tangled up with Gray?”

“Family matter and I’d give you a personal favor to stay out of it,” Sophie replied.

“Only if that personal favor is that you’ll come back to help us catch the guy harassing your nephew,” Nate said. 

“That is not dropping it!” Sophie said.

“It would be until you got here,” Nate replied smoothly. “Sophie, we’re going to need your help on this one. You’d just have to stay underground and we'll help your nephew. Hardison and Parker have their FBI aliases and Eliot could track. It’ll be just like old times.”

Sophie sighed, looking around her apartment. She knew that she wouldn’t be a lot of help to Neal here. She had to go back, even though she couldn’t see Neal. She couldn’t risk him being put back into prison where he would be an easy target. Her mind raced for a moment before she thought of something and smiled. She would be able to do it too. “On one condition – I want to see Neal. He’s under FBI surveillance, so it won’t be easy.”

“When is anything easy?” Nate asked with a chuckle. “What’s your nephew’s name?”

“Neal Matthew Caffrey,” Sophie replied smoothly.

Nate nearly dropped the phone, which made Parker look at him odd. “You did say Neal Caffrey, right?”

“…Oh gods Nate, tell me you did not chase down my nephew!” Sophie said. 

“I never did then,” Nate said. “So we’ll see you tomorrow evening. Hardison is booking you a flight and you’ll get an email confirmation soon enough.”

“…How – never mind, I don’t want to know how he is able to do all of that,” Sophie said with a sigh. “See you soon.”

“Yes, we will,” Nate said and hung up the phone, handing it back to Eliot. “And you mocked me when I said that you worked with Sophie before.”

“I had to do something to get you off of that idea,” Eliot said as he took his cell phone back. “Could we focus on the matter at hand? And you really chased the kid?”

“Nearly got him too,” Nate replied. “Parker, you’ll like this one.”

“If it’s the Neal Caffrey I know, I’ve already met him once,” Parker said with a shrug. “Seemed a bit off to me, but then again, it only lasted for a moment. We’re both sort of in awe of our own successes.”

“Fine, then you won’t be in awe. Hardison – “ Nate said as he saw the photograph of Neal Caffrey appear as well. “Thank you. Now, this kid, before he got caught, was Parker and Sophie put into one package. He’s being handled by the FBI on somewhat of a work release and has a girlfriend by the name of Kate Moreau who is – “ 

“Missing,” Hardison said as he looked up at Nate. “Sorry, didn’t mean to cut in, but it’s true. She skipped before Caffrey broke out and was caught again. He doesn’t know where she is but I know the friend that Caffrey is associated with. Mozzie and I did a few cons together. I can call him and set up a time for you to meet with him Nate. But this other guy?”

“We’ve got to work fast,” Eliot said as he looked up at Nate. “He’s a deadly combo – you and me combined.”

Nate raised an eyebrow at that but nodded his head. “Hardison, set it in motion. We’ll meet with him before Sophie touches down.”

“Got it,” Hardison said as he started to type out an email. The rest of the team got ready to travel to visit Neal Caffrey while not being caught by the FBI.


	3. Next Morning

The next morning, Neal woke up with something feeling out of place in his apartment. “Peter?” He called as he walked out of the bedroom to where Peter had fallen asleep on the couch the night before. He offered the swap with Peter, even though it was turned down. He figured it was nice of him to at least offer.

“Nope, just me,” Cruz said as she looked up at Neal. “He went home to get a shower and change of clothes. I’m going to be here until he gets back.”

“Ah,” Neal replied to that. “Let me do the same as Peter did and join me for breakfast?” He asked with a charming grin. Even though he knew that she didn’t like him, he couldn’t be faulted for trying.

“Fine,” Cruz said with a smile as she sat back down. She picked up her cell phone as it started to ring, answering it and turning her attention away from Neal. 

“Neal,” June said with a knock on the slightly open door. “Good morning – this came for you,” she said as she offered him a package. 

“Thanks,” Neal said with a smile, taking it and hiding it from Cruz, who was too absorbed in her paperwork. “And good morning as well.”

“What’s happening that you have an early morning visitor?” June asked as she didn't hide the concern in her voice.

“Nothing to worry about,” Neal said with a smile that was met with a raised eyebrow. “Really, it’s going to be fine. Something silly came up and they need to keep me on a tighter leash than before.”

“Alright,” June said with a nod as she left.

Neal sighed as he turned to go into his room, closing the door behind him before he turned his attention to the package. He knew that he should show it to Cruz, even if it meant that he would never get to see what was inside of it. He looked it over again and jumped when it started to ring. He quickly opened it up, taking out the phone and answering. “Hello?” He asked.

“Hi Neal,” Eliot replied on the other end of the phone. “Glad that you decided to answer rather than give it over to the agent.”

“Eliot?” Neal asked in a whisper. He quickly went to the bathroom and closing the door. “Why are you calling me?”

“Your aunt called in a favor,” Eliot replied. “I’ve got Parker, Hardison, and Nate with me.”

“Say hello to me or hi to everyone if I'm on speaker” Neal whispered. He knew about the team that Eliot was on – nearly everyone in the criminal world did. He was just in the growing majority that respected them. “I can’t pay you guys. I don’t have any money and the FBI isn’t exactly paying me.”

“Did you forget about the favor part?” Eliot asked. “Don’t worry about the money. What’s your schedule at the moment?”

“I’m sitting tight until Peter calls with a job for me to do,” Nate said. “And I’ve got to go. I need to make it sound like I’m getting ready and find a place for this phone. They’re not going to be happy with me if they realize I’m working with you guys. You have a thick file on each of you and then together as a team.”

“We suspected as such,” Eliot said. “Just keep safe. Otherwise Sophie is going to kill me.’

Neal chuckled at that and thought on something. “Eliot – try and get in touch with Mozzie. He’ll be able to fill you more in on what’s happening.”

“Already working on it,” Eliot said.

“Thanks,” Neal said and clicked off the phone as he heard the knock on the door to his room. He quickly turned on the water in the bath and peered out of the bathroom door like he had just taken off all his clothes. “Always room for two,” he said with a grin.

“No thanks,” Cruz said. “Just thought I heard something.”

“I’ve taken to singing show tunes before going into the shower,” Neal quipped.

“Just don’t hurt yourself,” Lauren quipped back as she left the room.

Neal closed the door and locked it. He took a deep breath to calm himself. He looked around the room, trying to figure out exactly where to hide the phone. He knelt down, opening the doors to the sink cabinet and hiding the phone, after he put it on silent, behind the pipes. After that, he got ready for the day, coming out of his bedroom just as Peter was getting back. “Good timing.”

“On your part or mine?” Peter asked as he smiled at Cruz. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Cruz said as she stood up.

“What about breakfast?” Neal asked. 

“I ate earlier and you have a person for my seat. See you later," Cruz said to Peter and left.

“All of your charms are not going to help you with her," Peter said.

"I know,” Neal said with a smile. “So – anything?”

“Not yet,” Peter said. “He was able to set up a system that is bouncing the signal around the world. So the computer guys are working on it constantly and we should have an answer at the end of the day.”

“Okay,” Neal replied. “So, do we have a case to do?”

“No,” Peter replied. “Until further notice, Hughes has you off any cases due to the fact that you’re too much of a risk right now.”

“I’m sure he’s dancing in his office about that,” Neal muttered.

“He’s not,” Peter said. “It seems like some high roller con artists have rolled into town. So we’re on that and making sure that we catch your mother’s killer. I’ll try to come by when I can but there’s a detail outside in a car.”

“You mean one of those white vans?” Neal asked.

“Are you going to continue with your mocking or are you going to listen to me?” Peter asked.

“I can’t do both?” Neal asked with a smile. “Thanks Peter. I do mean it.”

“I know you do,” Peter said with a bit of a smile. “Oh – Elizabeth says that if you need anything, call her and she’ll find a way to get it delivered. Plus she wants to know if you want to come to dinner tonight or tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” Neal said. “Why are you being so nice to me?”

“I’m not,” Peter replied. “Elizabeth is. I’m just playing the messenger.”

“Oh,” Neal said with a bit of a smile. “Thank her for me.”

“I will,” Peter said. “So, sit tight, be careful, and tell your friend to use the back door.”

“Got it,” Neal said quietly as he watched Peter leave. He left to the roof to have his breakfast, looking down at the street to see the white van parked where they think they couldn’t be seen. He ate his breakfast quickly as he couldn't relax. He was back downstairs afterwards and calling the Leverage team to relay everything that Peter told him.


	4. Leverage Team in Action

Nate looked around the hotel suite Hardison booked for them. They were under the guise of a successful business in town for a merger. Nobody thought that the guise was needed, but Nate wanted it in case there were questions. He watched Eliot pace around while talk on the phone and Hardison set up the computer. He focused more on what Eliot was doing instead of the phone conversation. His head turned to Parker as she asked something. “What did you say?” He asked.

“I asked if you thought it was really a good idea for all of us to be doing this,” Parker replied in a smooth voice. Her voice had been smooth and calm since they got to New York. That was her sign that she was truly nervous.

“I do,” Nate replied. "Why are you nervous?"

“We’re going after the White Collar king or prince or something who has one of the best thief catchers as his master,” Parker replied.

“There’s a white van outside where Neal is staying,” Eliot reported back to the group. 

“Just means that we can use our FBI covers,” Hardison replied. “I’m glad that I brought them with.”

“Me too,” Parker said as she tried hard to not pick or bite at her nails. “I don’t like this,” she said quietly and in her normal sing song voice that usually meant that she was right.

“You don’t like half of the things we do,” Eliot said.

“Because we’re going right into FBI hands by trying to help this kid,” Parker replied. “And that’s not true! I like most of the things we do! Just not when we try to steal Santa.”

“I think he’s actually older than you, so you don’t get to call him kid,” Hardison said to Parker. “Besides, we have air tight identities that all of us can use, thanks to me. There is no reason for us to be nervous, save for the fact that Neal is working for the White Collar unit. Who would probably like to put all of us behind bars.”

“So we’ll just going to have to stay one step ahead of them,” Nate replied as he gave Hardison a look. “When you go to the van, bug it. Eliot, see if you can’t get into where Neal is and put pieces where Hardison wants them. That will help us keep an eye on him. I’m going to see if I can’t meet with a friend of mine to see if he can help us get onto the FBI’s good side.”

“You have a friend?” Parker asked with an amused smile on her face.

“More than one,” Nate replied as he looked at Parker with a raised eyebrow. “He’s more of a contact, but I’ll see if I can’t catch up with him. While I play phone tag, I’ll also pick up Sophie from the airport. While I am gone, you children will play nice or I'll tell Sophie.”

“That is not really a threat,” Eliot said as he watched Nate get ready to leave. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with? As much as NYC is a big home of the FBI, there are some people here who will probably want to take your head, boss. They’re not all cops and won’t play by the rules.”

“Which is why I need you to stay with Parker and Hardison," Nate said. "Just until they’re in their element and then fade into the background until they’re ready to leave. Keep the cell phone on you so Neal has some way of contacting you.”

“It doesn’t feel right to leave you without someone,” Eliot said quietly. “Those two aren’t going to like it.”

“They can deal with it,” Nate replied smoothly as he took his car keys and left the hotel room. 

Eliot sighed and turned back to the two who were getting ready in their FBI gear. He still didn’t like this, but he knew better than to argue with Nate when Nate had the plan going. He would play his part, voice his displeasure to Sophie, and win in the end about Nate having a bodyguard while walking around NYC.

*~*~*~*

“This isn’t going to work,” Parker said under her breath to Hardison after they knocked on the door of the white van. 

“It always works,” Hardison replied under his breath. “Stop fidgeting. You’re going to bring us bad luck. Just go with it.”

Parker took a deep breath and stopped her jaw from dropping to the ground on the person who opened the back door to the van. It was Special Agent Taggart who opened the door and she smiled a bit. “Special Agent Hagen!” She said happily. _Perhaps this is going up_ she thought.

Taggart looked at the two and then grinned. “Hey, it’s good to see you two again! How have you been doing? Come on in,” he said as he let the pair in.

‘Good thing’ Hardison mouthed to Parker as he got into the van with Parker coming in behind him and closing the door. “We really should stop meeting like this, gentlemen,” he said with a chuckle. “So you two got back to the home base? Got to be better than what you were doing.”

Parker smiled and waved hello to McSweeten. “Hi,” she said, blushing a small bit as she moved some of her hair to behind her ear.

Hardison nodded to Taggart. “They’ve upgraded you with comms and everything. Lucky man,” he said as he looked over everything. He put his bugs where they would not be seen nor interfere in anything that was already there. 

“I could put in a good word for you, if you’re looking for something regular,” Taggart replied with a shrug. “Well, regular than what the two of you already have. Why’d you get called back to NYC?”

“It’s classified,” Hardison said with a shrug and laughed at Taggart’s shocked face. “Playing you, man. We’re back for a bit of debrief before being sent off again. I heard you were around so we came to say hi.”

“Ah,” Taggart said with a nod and smiled as he looked to the two younger people in the van. “They’re a bit of a cute couple.”

“Yeah,” Hardison said, a bit non committal to the entire thing. “Sorry – been partners with her for so long. I see her as more of a sister,” he lied.

“Good for you considering that the higher ups don’t really like interoffice romance,” Taggart said with a chuckle.

“We should be going though,” Hardison said with a slight cough to Parker to know that they should go. “Don’t want to keep you from your work.”

“No problem,” Taggart said as he opened the van to let Hardison out, who was followed by Parker. “Feel free to come back when you want to.”

“Thanks,” Parker said with a smile and kept close to Hardison as they walked over to the car. “Where’s Eliot?” She asked quietly to Hardison. “The city swallowed him whole. I knew this place was bad luck.”

“He left a note,” Hardison said as he opened it and looked at it.

“Not needed,” Eliot said as he got into the back seat of the car. “Get in,” he said before he slammed it closed.

Parker and Hardison exchanged a look before Hardison shrugged and got in to drive. Parker got into the passenger seat and looked at Eliot. “You’re bleeding,” she said simply to him.

“Remember the fighter chick from when we did the job where the guy tried to kill Sophie?” Eliot asked.

“Oh yeah…she could kick your ass,” Hardison said with a laugh and then winced as Eliot hit the back of his seat with his knee. “Don’t be angry at me man. I was just answering you,” he said as he started to drive back to the hotel.

“That’s who I ran into,” Eliot replied. “She was tailing Caffrey – he went out for a walk or something. I saw her, tried to question her, and...”

“And it went south,” Parker said with a chuckle. “Did you get anything out of her?”

“Just to stay out of the way,” Eliot said as he closed his eyes a bit. He knew one thing – this wouldn’t have happened if Nate would have just let him play bodyguard.

*~*~*~*

“I cannot believe that you are doing this!” Sophie yelled at Nate as the trio walked into the hotel suite. Parker nearly tried to walk out again but ran into Eliot. Eliot gently turned her around and sent her towards the kitchen area. He made sure to send Hardison with her as he went towards the sounds of yelling.

“I am doing this to help you and due to the fact that we took on the client!” Nate yelled back at Sophie. “It is more to help out your nephew and you should realize that the world does not revolve around you, Sophie!”

“I told you to drop it and instead, you’re running around a city filled with FBI agents and who knows what else – you’re going to get the team into trouble or worse into jail – along with the fact that you’re running around without Eliot!”

“I do not need a babysitter!” Nate yelled back at Sophie as he turned to Eliot coming into the room. “What did they find out?” He asked, trying to get himself back under control.

“They placed the bugs, but there’s something more than that,” Eliot replied. “The fighter from the job where there was the second team trying the hit – she’s shadowing Caffrey. I don’t know if she’s working for Caffrey or the person trying to kill Caffrey. I couldn’t get anything out of her.”

Sophie turned and looked worriedly at Eliot. “Does it hurt?” She asked. “Do you think she’s going to hurt Neal?”

“No,” Eliot replied. “If that was her objective, there were six times when she could have just killed him.”

Nate nodded a yes as his cell phone rang. “Hello?” He asked as he answered it. “Yeah,” he said as he turned and walked away from Sophie and Eliot.

“What’s that about?” Eliot asked quietly to Sophie.

“The contact that he’s been trying to get a hold of,” Sophie replied quietly. “A mastermind, like him.”

“That’s all we need,” Eliot said with a sigh. “Parker and Hardison are in the kitchen part if you want to go say hello.”

“Thanks,” Sophie replied quietly and smiled at Eliot. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, I think,” Eliot said with a slight smile as he left the room and went into the kitchen.

“Right,” Sophie said quietly as she sat down on the couch. She would wait until Nate was done with his phone call before talking to him calmly. She didn’t like the fact that someone was tailing her nephew, but that would be something to bring up to Neal somehow. She wasn’t sure how, save for the cell phone that he was using to contact Eliot with. That was a very smart move on Nate’s part, one that she didn’t think he would take, considering that cell phones could be traced now. Unless Hardison did something to it she reminded herself. She didn’t like not knowing everything, but she would wait for Nate to be off the phone for more of the information he would give her. She would try to be calm, even though she wanted to smack him due to the fact that he was doing something she didn’t want to do. She made herself comfortable, falling asleep on the couch and not waking when Nate just put the blanket over her to keep her warm.


	5. Truth Comes Out

Neal was bored. This was never a good thing for him because he had started to think of ways to steal things. June and Mozzie were having another debate over the Chinese gambling movies and he could not keep any of the movie titles straight. He had tried, he tried for a good ten to fifteen minutes before finally giving up. He let his mind wander and, instead of thinking of a past heist or how to do a future one, his mind went to the knot growing in his stomach. The knot that wasn’t going to be untied until tomorrow night at the earliest when he could talk to Peter. He got up and got the cell phone that Peter got him. He pressed the first speed dial, waiting for someone to pick up at the office. “Hey, is Peter Burke there?” Neal asked the random secretary he got on the phone. “Oh…well, thanks,” he said as he hung up. He debated with pressing the second speed dial, but he wasn’t allowed when Peter was in meetings with the big boss. He didn’t like the rule, but he would stick to it.

“You alright?” Mozzie asked.

“Yeah,” Neal said as he thought for a long moment. “Going out,” he said as he went to get his coat.

“Want company?" Mozzie asked..

“No - I'm going to see El,” Neal replied as he pressed the fourth speed dial number and explained to the people in the van where he was going. “One of the few places I can go outside the radius.”

“You don’t want to stay and be in on our movie night?” Mozzie asked. “We’re going to order Chinese.”

Neal made a face. He had Chinese food three times during that one week. It was starting to sour his stomach. “Sorry, no.”

“The Suits are wasting you on bad Chinese food so you’ll just give up the good,” Mozzie said.

“Yeah…El will probably just give me a sandwich,” Neal said with a sigh and grabbed his hat. “You two have fun. Don’t keep her up late.”

“Ha ha,” Mozzie said as he waved Neal goodbye.

Neal chuckled to himself as he called for a taxi. He got in and gave the address for Peter’s home, sinking into the seat and putting his hat over his face to get a bit of sleep.

*~*~*~*

Neal rang the doorbell, looking around at the neighborhood while he waited. If nobody answered, he knew where the hide-a-key was, but he didn’t like to use it. Even though Elizabeth had put it there just for him, he still didn’t like the idea. He waited another minute before moving to press the doorbell again as Elizabeth opened the door. “Hey,” he said. “Um, can I come in?”

“Sure,” Elizabeth said and let him in. “I didn’t think you were coming until tomorrow night.”

“Yeah, change of plans,” Neal said. “I need to tell Peter something and it can’t wait until tomorrow night. And I can’t tell him at the office.”

“Neal, tell me that you didn’t rob someplace and need to confess to Peter,” Elizabeth said with a smile.

“No, nothing like that,” Neal said with a slight chuckle. “I – I’m his son." He didn’t mean to just let it roll of his tongue like that. But Elizabeth was the one person he could tell, the one person who would not tell Peter until Neal did so himself, and he felt that she needed to know. She treated him like a son anyways, so he already felt like part of the family. 

Elizabeth just looked at Neal as he said that. “Go sit down,” she said as she got him a drink. She made herself one before going over and sitting down across from him. “You’re the what if that’s Peter’s been talking about for all these years,” she said. 

“What?” Neal asked. “So he suspected and told you. Not that I’m surprised - he tells you everything."

“Save for the Canary Islands account but that’s just to make sure that I have an alibi,” Elizabeth quipped as she smiled at Neal. “You need to tell him before he finds out.”

“I can’t,” Neal said quietly. “He won’t believe me.”

“You’d be surprised at what he does and doesn’t believe,” Elizabeth replied. “I’m serious about talking about the what if that came from that one night stand as he knew something was wrong. Your mother disappeared so fast that he didn’t have time to even ask her. The only thing is that he didn’t have any proof. So he wonders about it in the dead of night.”

“Which wakes you up and you have to listen to it all over again,” Neal said.

“I don’t mind it,” Elizabeth said with a soft smile. “We’re not actively trying, even though we both want a little one. You’re young enough in spirit to do.”

Neal laughed at that. “I’m still amazed that you can adopt me so easily.”

“I did that from the first day you came in the door,” Elizabeth said. “You and Peter are so alike, just on different sides of the law. It’s how he was able to catch you.”

Neal nodded a yes. “I was just doing it to impress him,” he admitted. "To make him see me."

“Well, you were able to do that and are doing so now in the other way,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “Do you want something to eat while we wait for Peter?"

Neal was about to say something when they both heard the door opening. "Guess I don't need it."

“Need what?” Peter asked as he came in the door and over to the living room.

“Food since we were waiting for you,” Elizabeth said as she got up to go into the kitchen to get something to drink for Peter.

Neal looked up at Peter and smiled weakly. “Hi,” he said quietly.

“Hi,” Peter replied, looking a bit puzzled as he quickly put his hand that had the ring on it into his pocket. “You were coming for dinner tomorrow night. Or did I mix up my dates?”

“No,” Elizabeth replied as she came back into the living room with the drink. "But you brought other guests with you."

"An old friend," Peter said. "Elizabeth, this is Nathan Ford, Sophie Devereaux, Alec Hardison, Eliot Spencer, and Parker."

"Good to meet all of you," Elizabeth said. 

"You as well," Nate said with a smile.

Parker moved over and glomped Neal. "Hi again."

Neal smiled and hugged Parker back. "Hi," he said. "It's good to see all of you."

"Does anybody want anything to drink?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'll help you," Sophie said as she got the drink orders and went with Elizabeth into the kitchen. "Eliot, Hardison," she said and the two men followed with her. "Parker, you too," she called.

"Aw," Parker said but got up and followed Sophie into the kitchen.

“I need to talk to you about something,” Neal said to Peter.

"I'll just go make sure that everything is okay in there," Nate said and went towards the kitchen as well.

“What, you pulled off a heist without me knowing about it?” Peter asked in a light hearted matter. He looked at Neal’s face, seeing the worry that was there. “No, really, what is it?”

“It’s something that I don’t think you’re going to believe me on, so I want to say that I will do everything to prove it to you,” Neal said. “However, if you take to it like Elizabeth did, I’ll be more shocked than ever.”

“I doubt that,” Peter said as he looked at Neal. “So what is it?”

“On my real birth certificate, you’re my dad,” Neal said quietly and simply. 

Peter raised an eyebrow. His brain started to slowly process what Neal had just said. “I – what?” He asked.

Elizabeth came back into the room, gently pushing Peter’s favorite drink into his hand. “Take a sip, slowly, and just listen to him," she instructed.

Peter did as Elizabeth told him to do, taking her hand as she sat down. He let a bit of silence happen and they heard the door in the kitchen open and close. “How?” He asked.

“You and my mom had a one night stand when you both were teenagers,” Neal said. “My mother’s real name is Aurelia Lawrence. She didn’t want to ruin your life.”

Peter didn’t say anything, his mind just processing what he had heard over and over again. Neal watched him, knowing better than to intrude on what Peter was thinking, so he waited. Neal knew that it would be like this at first – his mother and aunt warned him about it. “You had many different chances to tell me. Why now?” Peter asked. “I want you take a DNA test.”

“Done. And none of them were the right time,” Neal said quietly. “When did you want me to say it? By the way, I’m your kid when you’re putting the cuffs on me? No – that wasn’t the time. This is the time.”

“But it's because Grey called,” Peter said. “They should have an answer on that trace soon enough.”

“I don’t think so, Peter. Grey is good and a sociopath – he’s not someone to take lightly. The only reason he’s contacting me that I can give you is that he wants me to do a job. Plus, he wants your attention for some reason that I can’t understand,” Neal explained.

“You just thought of this now that you couldn’t have told me yesterday?” Peter asked.

Neal shook his head no. “No, not really. It took a night to sleep on it.”

“You really shouldn’t use code when you say you had to speak to your friend,” Peter pointed out.

“It’s mostly to help the friend from getting in trouble,” Neal said with a bit of a smile. The smile dropped as his eyes turned serious. “I want to get him. I’ll do anything, including having to pull the trigger myself and go back to that hell hole for murder. He needs to be gone from this Earth."

As Peter looked over Neal, he could see the similarities and the differences. He knew why it was so easy for Neal to hide who his father was with the help of a forged birth certificate. It didn’t mean that he liked it one bit though. “Yes,” he finally said after a long minute. “Until we’re done, I want you sleeping here though. Easier to keep an eye on you,” he said. 

“I’ll make up a guest bed,” Elizabeth said from Peter’s side as she kissed her husband’s cheek. She moved so Peter could see her and smiled at Neal before leaving the room all together.

“I think she likes that,” Neal said quietly.

“I think so too,” Peter said as he got up. “Let me talk to the people in the kitchen and we’ll just make more food. Or order something. I really don’t care at this moment in time.”

“I know who is in the kitchen, I can go in there myself,” Neal said as he got up and went to the kitchen. He stopped dead as he saw Kate, his eyes going wide. “Kate,” he whispered.

Kate froze as she heard her name, looking at Neal. “Hi,” she said quietly. “Peter – um – Peter found me and he told me to come here. That it wasn’t safe for some reason,” she said quietly but wouldn’t look at him.

“Why are you lying?” Neal asked as he turned to look at Peter. “Why is she…” he stopped as he saw Peter’s other hand. The one with the ring that Peter had been hiding. “You. It was you. And you couldn’t just tell me?!” He asked as he pushed Peter away hard. 

“Neal!” Kate said as she came over to him, taking his hand. “You need to listen to him. It was a part of a plan – his plan – to keep all of us safe. And to help, in ways that are different than he’s done before and he was keeping me safe. He had to make sure that you wouldn’t just run again. It was a test. You passed it.”

Neal looked at Kate with shocked eyes, taking his hand out of hers and leaving the kitchen to go out in the backyard. “Don’t follow,” is all he said as he slammed the door closed.

“Like hell I won’t,” Peter said as he followed Neal out.

“Do we have popcorn and good viewing space?” Parker asked.

“Time and place Parker,” Eliot said as he looked to Nate.

“Family matter – we stay out of it for right now,” Nate replied to Eliot’s unspoken question.

“For you but not for me,” Sophie said as she moved to follow Peter out. Nate kept a very tight hold of her hand and shook his head no. She sighed and just stayed close to Nate, watching from where they were by the door.

Kate moved around Sophie and Nate, going out the door to follow Peter and Neal out. She was going to try to make it so that Neal and Peter didn't get into a screaming match. “Neal!" She called as a bullet whizzed past Neal and into the ground.

“Down!” Peter yelled as Kate and Neal did what he did. He heard another bullet fly into the yard before he felt one go into his leg and then his shoulder as he fell to the ground. After that, the world just went quiet as the gunfire stopped.

"Peter!" Neal screamed as he made his way over to him. "Tell them to call 911!" He yelled to Kate as he pulled off his jacket and started to try to stop the flow of blood. He tore the jacket in half, giving half of it to Eliot to make a tourniquet to stop the loss of blood. All they could do was wait as the sounds of sirens started to fill the air to come and help them.


	6. The Man Calls Back

Neal looked out the window, letting the rest of the people pass by him in the hallway. He resisted the urge to just curl up in the window and try to forget the outside world. He did that often as a kid, even more so when his mom died. It helped to just block out the world to think of what he was going to do next. The first thought that came to mind was to run. To just take Kate and run as far and as fast as they could. He knew that wouldn't help and would just make Elizabeth worried and Peter angry. it didn't help that he kept on feeling that the walls were closing in and he was going to be alone with his nightmares again like when his mother died. He couldn't find anyone to give him an update, so he just stayed out of the way and waited. The only thing that did happen is that El made sure that a paternaty test was done a small bit after they got to the hospital. He knew she did it so he would try to think positively, but it didn't help. He jumped as he felt someone touch his shoulder but smiled as he realized that it was just Kate. _I can get used to realizing it's just Kate again_ he thought as he just took her in. “You’re the only person who can do that to me,” he said after a long moment.

“Only because I know what you look and hear for,” Kate said as she gave him a cup of coffee. “Not the best, but I thought it might help. Has anybody given you any updates?”

“No,” Neal replied with a sigh. “I’ve been staying out of the way. Elizabeth will tell me if anything big happens, so I’m not all that worried. Plus, I don’t want to get in the way of the FBI doing statements.”

“You just don’t want to give your statement,” Kate said quietly as she rested her head on Neal’s shoulder. She smiled as he wrapped an arm around her and she stayed close to him. “I did miss this.”

“Then why didn’t you come back sooner?” Neal asked quietly. He didn’t mean to just ask like that, especially when they were enjoying a nice moment. He regretted the moment he asked though and added on “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer that if you don’t want to. I guess Peter was keeping you captive or something. I can’t believe he has that ring.”

“He wasn’t,” Kate replied quietly to Neal. “There was a family problem. Same guy who killed your mother and tried to kill Peter came after me to get to you. Peter was keeping me safe and keeping me underground. If I came up, even for you, then it would have meant that I could have died. It’s selfish, I know, but I think you might have wanted me to come back to you alive.”

“I did,” Neal said quietly and sighed. “I have a lot to apologize to Peter for, don’t I?”

“No, you don’t,” Kate replied with a chuckle. “Peter didn’t tell you anything. If anything, he really needs to apologize to you.”

“Right,” Neal said with a soft sigh and closed his eyes for a moment.

"We should go try and get an update," Kate said quietly after a long moment.

"Right," Neal said as he led her over to where El was waiting.

“Okay,” Kate said as she turned to go with Neal to sit down with Elizabeth. The funny thing was the blind man sitting right next to Elizabeth. “Oh – hello. We can go…we thought you were sitting on your own.”

Neal looked at the blind man and started laughing. “You let Parker dress you,” he said in a voice that only Elizabeth, Kate, and the blind man hear.

“You don’t have to point it out for the entire world to hear,” Nate said in a quiet voice. “Unless you want the FBI to arrest me, Neal.”

“You could get a sweet deal like I have,” Neal said with a chuckle. “Sorry.”

“Apology accepted,” Nate said. 

“I have an update,” Elizabeth said, drawing all of their attention to her. “He’s going to be fine. The bullet didn’t travel anywhere, just sat in his shoulder. Plus, it missed bone and just stuck in the muscle. The leg was a through and through, thank everything. It seems like luck was on his side."

“I try to be a good lucky charm," Neal said and smiled as he heard El laugh.

“I call you the rainbow marshmallow,” Kate said with a chuckle.

“Rainbow?” Neal asked with a raised eyebrow. “You’re mean.”

“Am not," Kate said with a grin and kissed Neal's cheek. "I like eating the rainbow marshmallows,' she whispered into his ear which made Neal grin more.

“Alright, you're not mean,” Neal said with a grin, back to his happy self now that he knew that Peter was safe. None of them noticed the phone ringing in the waiting room until another person answered it. He looked up when he heard his name and looked oddly at El and Kate. “Who could it be?”

“Parker might be calling,” Nate said. “Just go answer it.”

“Right,” Neal replied as he walked over to the phone, taking it from the random stranger with a thank you nod. “Hello?”

“Hello Nealan,” the same cold voice belonging to Emmanuel Grey said over the phone that had been on the speakers in the FBI office. “I hope that you and Peter enjoyed my little play with guns.”

Neal covered the end of the phone and hissed at Nate to get over to listen in. Nate quickly did, putting in his ear bud so that Hardison could get a copy of what was about to be said. “That was a nasty present,” Neal replied, fighting down the fear and bile rising from his stomach.

“I thought you would like it though. I do forget the little problem you have with guns,” Emmanuel said with a cold chuckle. “Where’s your sense of fun, Nealan?”

“You killed it. I thought you would remember that,” Neal said in a hiss. “What do you want?”

“I want you to complete the job that your mother should have done all those years ago. And when you do, I’ll leave them alone. Peter won’t have to die due to a hospital mishap. Elizabeth’s car won’t blow up when she turns it on. Your aunt’s plane won’t go down over the Atlantic. And Kate, sweet beautiful Kate, won’t be raped and her body parts thrown around the city until they piece her back together like Humpty Dumpty. Do I have your attention Neal?” Emmanuel asked.

“Yes,” Neal said quietly. “What do you want me to do?”

“Seven tonight – you will meet me at the parking lot at the corner of Smith and Castle. You will come alone and we will talk over what you need to do for me,” Emmanuel replied.

“No – I – you got to let me bring one other person with me. He’s not FBI but he’ll help,” Neal said.

“If you mean either Parker or Nate Ford, then yes,” Emmanuel replied. “If anybody else is there or if you’re bugged or anything else, my plan goes into action. Now be a good little boy and don’t be late for your uncle Grey,” he said as he then hung up the phone.

“Hardison, did you get all that?” Nate asked as Neal slammed down the phone.

“Yeah,” Hardison replied. “I’m getting traffic cameras of the corner. Do you want Eliot to go scout it out?”

“No – keep to the cameras,” Nate replied. “Nobody goes there in case there’s something there.” He clicked off the intercom, taking hold of Neal’s hand. “Deep breaths,” he said quietly.

Neal took some deep breaths, calming himself down. “He threatened them. He threatened all of them. My family – I got to do it. It’s a jewel that’s at the Smithsonian. It’s been there forever. He could have gone and gotten it without me. There’s no reason for him to do this.”

“I know,” Nate said quietly as he gave Neal’s hand a comforting squeeze. "Hardison?"

"Working on his anklet now," Hardison said. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"I know," Nate said. He watched Neal go back over to Kate before turning his attention to telling Parker where to meet them. A moment later, they were on their way to get Parker before heading to where they needed to meet Grey.


	7. Instructions

Neal tried to relax as they waited in the parking lot. He looked to Nate, uncertain that this plan was going to work, and then to Parker who was fiddling with something. He knew that they were at the right place and he didn't like the fact that they were being made to wait. He was also certain that the Marshalls were going to swarm down on them any moment due to the fact that he was outside his radius and not near Peter. He blamed the feeling on Peter and starting to not want to get into trouble. He was different than he was before. Now he only wanted to go straight and please Peter rather than anything else. “Explain to me how this is going to work again,” he said quietly to Nate. “Grey said only one of you.”

“Yes, but he named Parker,” Nate said. “Better to bring her with and see what she says about your nemesis.”

“Plus Eliot’s with everyone who needs protecting,” Parker added. “Hardison’s in our heads and hopefully can provide backup if he’s not playing WoW.”

“I heard that,” Hardison replied to Parker’s comment. “I am not playing WoW. However, if we could wrap this up quickly so I can get back to what I was doing, that would be nice.”

“Hardison, focus,” Nate said. “Do you see anything on the cameras or is he going to appear out of thin air?”

“We are on time, right?” Neal asked as he checked his watch. He blinked at his empty wrist and turned to Parker. “Give it back.”

“I like it though,” Parker said with a grin and gave it to him. “You’re slipping.”

Neal grinned and held up Parker’s cell phone, giving it back to her. “So are you.”

“How about we both just blame the honest father figures that have made us go straight?” Parker asked.

“I am not a father figure,” Nate corrected. “And I made you go honest. If you were going straight, you would not be here right now.”

“True,” Parker said.

Neal grinned and turned his attention to where he heard a car coming. “That for us?”

“Yeah, heads up,” Hardison says. “Got visual confirmation that it is Grey in the car. This is bad – I’m getting Torchwood vibes every time I think of that.”

“Hardison, stop being a geek,” Nate said. He knew that his hacker couldn’t really stop ever being a geek. He had hopes though, mostly for his own sanity but he should have realized that left a long time ago. “Parker, ready?”

“Yep,” Parker replied. “Even though you said my role was to look nice.”

“Still, got to ready yourself for that,” Neal quipped.

“Do not,” Parker said.

“Enough,” Nate said sharply as a black Lexus coupe stopped in front of them. It framed them in the headlights, attempting to blind them. Luckily, they had on contacts that would help contract that so they could see what was really happening. “Mister Grey?” He asks, loud enough to be heard.

“Nealan, I do believe that I told you only one extra person,” Emmanuel said, ignoring Nate for the moment. Neal noticed that the man looked older – no, it was just was a harder look than the one he saw before. There were grey touches to the man’s hair and he made no effort to cover them. He was tall for a man and about the same build as Eliot. Neal thought to himself that the man could still wear a suit well, even if he did just want to reach out and kill the man by breaking his neck.

“Considering all you’ve done to me, I think you can be flexible for me,” Neal replied as his hatred showed through his voice.

“Yes but your flexibility is more fun,” Emmanuel quipped back as he turned his attention to Nate. “I hear you’re good, Nathan Ford. Mister Sterling speaks highly of you.”

“And here I thought the bastard couldn’t be bought,” Nate said.

“Depends on what a person is selling, especially to get back to IYS or better,” Emmanuel said with a smile as he noticed the very slight bit of discomfort in Nate. He did like toying with his playthings so. “Miss Parker though – perhaps it is best that you brought both of them.”

“What do you want me to do?” Neal asked. “In order to get you out of my life once and for all?” 

“I want you to go to the National Archives and get the Constitution for me, Nealan,” Emmanuel answered.

Neal tilted his head in confusion at the request and looked to Parker. She nodded a yes to him with one of her smiles that always made him think she was manic rather than just one of the best thieves in the world. “Sure. What’s the time frame?” He asked.

“Hell no. Oh hell no,” Hardison said through the comms. “I am not helping with this. I am not. This goes against everything that my Nana told me about. Also, it’s the Constitution! How are we going to get through that?!”

“National Treasure,” Parker said casually with a bit of a shrug. “Got something harder?”

Neal turned and gave Parker a look. “Stop it.”

“What?” Parker asked. “It’s easy. I did it three months ago when I was bored and put it back.”

Neal somehow was able to keep his jaw from falling open and gapping at Parker. He was more of a gentleman than just gapping at Parker and he would have a talk with her later. Mostly about the putting it back part, but in all good time. He turned back to Grey and nodded a yes. “That’s what you wanted my mother for?”

“When she was alive, she was the best thief of all time,” Grey replied. “Even better than Parker. But, that’s not all,” he said as he pulled out a portable television unit and threw it to Nate, who caught it. “Turn it on,” he said.

Nate looked oddly at Grey before doing so. It was times like these he wished that he hadn’t given up drinking. The screen lit up and split into three. One part of the screen was where Hardison was held up doing the computer work, another part of the screen was inside of Peter’s hospital room, and the third showed Sophie, Kate, Elizabeth, and Eliot at a diner close to the hospital. “Alright,” he said as he handed the television to Neal. “Bombs or snipers?”

“Why pick?” Grey said with a grin that bordered between manic and psychopath. “It is now seven thirty. You have until midnight to get the Constitution and get back here. Or all three parts on the screen will go into a nice snowy grey. Now, I would run along and do what I want. Unless you want to lose half of your team and all of Nealan’s family.”

“Leave them out of this,” Neal said with a growl underneath his breath. 

“And lose your inspiration to get the job done, Nealan?” Grey asked with an icy chuckle. “Do it and we’ll meet back here at midnight sharp. Be even a second late and one of them dies. I get to decide which one though. Oh, and don’t try to get any of them out. If any of them move, I will give the go ahead to the sniper to make their move.” 

“Fine,” Neal said as he started to think of different things. One of them being that he would need to call Mozzie in order to get a message to Elizabeth.

“Oh, and Nealan?” Grey asked. “Don’t bring one more friend into this. You may not have seen him on the television, but I just thought you’d rather see someone that you love more than someone you trust.”

“Fuck you,” Neal replied to Grey.

“We’ve already been through that,” Grey said smoothly as he got back into his Lexus, backed up and sped away.

“I really hate that man,” Neal said quietly as he looked to the other two. “You put it back?” He asked of Parker.

“I was bored,” Parker said with a shrug. “Did the same thing with the Hope Diamond. It’s all Nate’s fault. If he had just kept us together, I wouldn’t have done it.”

Nate sighed softly. “We all needed a break then,” he replied to Parker. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Well, I know a way in,” Neal replied. “I was going for another document but I know how to get in via the back channels to where the Constitution is held after hours.”

“So do I,” Parker replied. “Want to go my route or your route?”

“Flip a coin or we go by whichever is faster,” Neal replied. “Five minutes.”

“Four,” Parker said with a smile.

“Flipping,” Nate said as he did so, hoping to keep the two thieves away from each other’s throats.

“Lady’s call,” Neal replied.

“So what's your call?” Parker asked of Neal.

Neal grinned. He forgot how much fun it was to work with Parker when she felt like working with others. “Just like old times?” He asked.

“Yeah, save for the fact that we have a deadline this time,” Parker replied and looked to Nate. “We’re going to need him as the backup.”

“Nah,” Neal said as he sized up Nate. “Bait or distraction?”

“Distraction,” Nate replied. “Bait’s already in the water. We don’t need more. Hardison!” He said.

“I’m listening and already looking through security systems,” Hardison replied.

“Yeah, about that – don’t leave from where you are until we give the go ahead,” Nate replied. “Eliot!”

“Yeah boss?” Eliot asked as he came on the comms.

“Get Sophie on too,” Nate replied.

Parker grinned and gave Neal a comm.. Neal looked at it oddly until Parker took it back and less than gently put it in his ear. “There.”

“You could have been easier on my ear,” Neal replied.

“We’ve been asked to do a job,” Nate said, taking back over the conversation. “Just Parker, Neal, and myself. The rest of you need to stay where you are. He has snipers and bombs where you are and in Peter’s room. Hardison, use your cover and call one of Peter’s team to do a sweep of the room and maybe move him for medical reasons. Do it off comms. Sophie, Eliot – make sure that Elizabeth and Kate don’t know what is happening. We don’t need a panic and he will shoot or blow the bomb if you try to move them. We’ll call when we’re done and everything is right again.”

“Nate – Just – a bomb? Seriously? Tell me you’re joking,” Hardison replied to all of this.

“I’m not,” Nate replied. “Everyone, for once, Parker is in charge. Hardison, book us a helicopter that we can take down to DC.”

"Got it," Hardison said as he did so.

“….So this is a good time for 'Oh God, Oh God, we're all going to die'?” Hardison asked. "Serenity quote."

“Hey!” Parker replied to that. “Neal’s helping. So we’re both in charge with Nate backing us up. So, we’re going to go do a National Treasure and everyone will just be happy.”

“Parker, National Treasure is a movie,” Sophie replied quietly and her mind clicked. “Grey is an insane bastard.”

“So you’re finally on my page,” Neal replied to Sophie.

“I was on your page to begin with,” Sophie said. “How long?”

“We have until midnight,” Neal replied as Nate turned and started walking. He saw Parker walk after Nate and caught up easily. “Hardison, please tell me you still have my tracker hacked.”

“Yep,” Hardison replied. “However, I am busy right now, Neal, so take a number and I’ll get back to you,” he said as he went off the comm.

Neal sighed and got into the shot gun position as he put on his seat belt. He looked at Nate. “It’s going to work, right?”

“It better,” Nate replied as he sped away to where the helicopter was waiting for them.


	8. The National Archives

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Neal said as he tried to keep the comment to himself as they sped towards the National Archives. The pit in his stomach came back after the meeting with Grey. There was probably more than just getting the document, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was. He looked at Parker in the back seat and wished he could be like her. She was calm, her eyes watching the scenery as they drove by. He knew that her mind was thinking about how to get in and get out in the fastest time possible. He looked at Nate and shrugged, trying to hide his emotions. 

“It’ll be alright,” Nate said. “Hardison?”

“Yeah?” Hardison asked. He had been trying to figure out where in the room the camera was to give the feed that Nate had told him about. After five minutes of searching, he pulled out his cell phone and started to scan the area for electronics not his own. He came up with the location for the camera and found no bugs in the room. He swept the room one more time to double check and went back to his computer.

“How’s your pet project going?” Nate asked as he knew that Hardison was figuring out an escape plan.

“Fifty percent done,” Hardison replied as he started to work on the hack. “Take that back, seventy five percent done. You were right on that hunch.”

“I know,” Nate said. “You are very important to me and the rest of the team. Don’t get hurt.”

“You got it boss,” Hardison said with a chuckle. He didn’t need Nate to tell him that he was wanted. He knew that after the job where everyone was up on the plane and he was on the ground. That’s where Nate’s trust in him was cemented. Hardison trusted Nate from the beginning but that was easy considering Nate was the one good guy. “It’s looping now,” he reported to Nate. “And in a way that he’ll never tell. I’ll use the back way to get out and signal the fire alarms.”

“Sounds great,” Nate replied. He looked over to Neal, about to ask something but stopped as he saw what Neal was doing. Neal had the camera back out and was watching what Kate was doing. "Alright, where am I going?"

Neal thought for a moment and turned to the back seat again. "Parker?" 

“Yeah?” Parker asked, not turning to Neal.

“How are we getting in?” Neal asked.

“Front door,” Parker replied.

“…what?” Neal asked, a bit shocked.

“Well, you’re working with the FBI, right?” Parker asked as she turned to Neal. “I’ve got an FBI cover. We’ll say that you and Peter were working on something before he got shot and we’re there to just double check that everything is alright at the archives.”

“One problem with that,” Nate said.

“What?” Parker asked.

“Your FBI cover will be blown. You need to keep it intact for other jobs,” Nate replied.

“Oh, right,” Parker said and thought. “There’s underground tunnels if you want to drop us off before you get there.”

“I was just thinking of those tunnels,” Neal replied. “And the rats that are about as big as Eliot’s fist.”

Nate raised an eyebrow as he turned to Neal at that comment before looking back to the road. “Alright, where do the tunnels start?” 

Parker and Neal gave out an identical address as Nate sighed. Parker laughed as Nate turned to go towards the start of the tunnels and Neal felt a bit of the knot untying in his stomach. He was going into his element and knew that everything was going to go smoothly. "Stop here," he said as Nate did so and got out. 

“We’re going to be fine,” Parker said as she got out of the car and took what she needed from the trunk for both herself and Neal. “And I know,” she said as she saw that Nate was about to say something. “No freelancing.”

“I was going to say be careful, but that too,” Nate said with a bit of a smile before lowering his voice for only Parker to hear. “Keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t do something stupid.”

“Got it,” Parker replied as she took both bags and went over to Neal. Neal took one of them, slinging the small bag over his shoulder and followed her down into the tunnels. She turned on the flashlight and quickly looked over the path. “We’re good,” she said and started to walk forward.

“Right,” Neal replied as he followed Parker to where they were going. “Like old times.”

“Yeah,” Parker said with a chuckle. “When I wouldn’t put anything back and you made sure that we got paid twice.”

“I did like those days,” Neal said with a sigh. “Everything is more complicated now.”

“Sophie says that’s how you know your life is going towards a good goal though,” Parker replied. "I didn’t know that you’re her nephew.”

“We kept it quiet to keep both of us safe,” Neal replied, glad that he was able to talk freely with Parker. It helped that both of them were friends for nearly as long as their individual careers were. She had fine tuned him on a rope line while he tried to make her see the art of seduction. His part didn’t go well, but the trust was there. “You’ve really been straight?”

“Not straight, but good,” Parker corrected. “You’ve gone straight.”

“Only way to have fun in the world anymore,” Neal quipped. “They lock me up otherwise.” There was a bit of silence as they walked through the tunnels and towards the big fan. "Got gum?" He asked as he opened the silver box.

“Yep, one moment,” Parker said as she chewed some before giving it to Neal. “That enough?”

“Yep,” Neal replied as he used it to spark and turn off the fan. Parker got through it quickly and he followed suit before it started up again. “Through that part.”

“I didn’t think of using gum,” Parker replied.

“That’s so I didn’t get shocked. Easier to carry around than rubber gloves,” Neal replied as the two thieves walked further down the tunnel. As they got closer, there were electronic lines to trigger if someone walked over them. Parker got over them easily before disabling them so Neal could walk through. It was just a small bit to get around the guards and they were able to get to where the Constitution was being held. “Maybe we should have gone underneath,” he whispers.

“Nope,” Parker replied quietly as she started to pull things out of her small bag. She started to hook up different sort of electronics up to the case. “I picked Hardison’s brain about this before we all split up due to the small bronzed naked man.”

“….What?” Neal asked quietly, looking confused. He could understand Parker sometimes, but this time it clearly went over his head.

“Explain later,” Parker whispered and went back to what she was doing. She punched some things onto a number keyboard and waited for several moments. 

Neal kept looking about until he heard a popping in the case. He paled and was about to bolt as he realized that none of the silent alarms went off. “Wow,” he whispered, a bit speechless as he opened the case and Parker put the Document in. He gave her the copy and she closed the case the same way that she had opened it.

“Thanks,” Parker whispered and the pair went their way out. “Be careful with that,” she said as they walked back and took a different path out of the tunnels. It didn’t have a fan and went faster to get back to where Nate was waiting for them. “That was way too easy,” she complained.

“We'll make the next job harder," Neal said with a grin.

Nate raised an eyebrow. "Alright, let's get back," he said as the kids got into the car. He drove them back to where the helicopter was waiting and they took off back to New York City.


	9. Getting What's Coming

Neal got out of the car, noticing that Gray was there before them. It just confirmed the idea that Gray was waiting close by for them. He looked to Nate as he held on tightly to the black bag that held their salvation. He swallowed the bit of nervousness that was rising in the back of his throat like vile. He watched Nate move forward to talk with Gray, but stayed back to watch their interaction. He was glued to the spot, scared by the fact that he knew what Gray was capable of - death and destruction. He nearly jumped as he felt Parker take his hand. “I’m okay,” he whispered.

“I know,” Parker whispered as she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. It was easy to see the fear in Neal's eyes. She looked over and saw Nate motion for Neal. "Nate's not going to let anything bad happen," she added before letting go of Neal's hand.

“Thanks,” Neal whispered back as he took a deep breath and walked over to where Nate and Gray where.

“How soon will we have confirmation that the bombs are off and your snipers are gone?” Nate asked.

“As soon as I am able to verify that the Constitution is the real one,” Gray said as his eyes flickered to Neal. He smirked as he saw the fear that was going through Neal’s body at the moment. “If Nealan would hand it over.”

Neal nodded a yes, handing over the black bag gently to Gray. He watched as Gray put it gently on the floor of the trunk. Gray unzipped the bag, smiling as Gray saw the document. “See? It’s the real one. Now call off your goons.”

“You know it is not as simple as that, Nealan,” Gray replied. “Unless you would like to come over here and help me.”

Nate moved Neal from beside him to in back of him. “Just run the tests,” he said.

“Of course,” Gray said as he started to do so.

Neal took the chance to look back at Parker who nodded and gave a thumbs up. He breathed a sigh of relief. “What's the next step?” he whispered to Nate.

“Hardison,” Nate whispered.

“Five minutes,” Hardison replied.

Neal paled as he heard Hardison’s answer. “We should go,” he whispered to Nate. “Run. This is – we need to go.”

“Stop it,” Nate said in a bit of a strong voice. “We can’t. You know that. There’s nowhere to go as well.”

“I’m going to throw up. I’m actually going to throw up,” Neal said as he bent over and put his head towards his knees. 

Gray stopped what he was doing and looked over to the two of them. “What is wrong with him?”

“Nerves,” Nate replied with a bit of a smile. “How’s the testing going?” He asked in the way that normal conversation about the weather would go.

“Well so far,” Gray replied. “I am glad they took care to not damage the map.”

“…The Map?” Nate asked.

“National Treasure wasn’t just a movie, Nathan,” Gray replied with a smile. “I thought you knew that.”

“I do now,” Nate replied with a bit of a shrug. He understood Parker’s comment about the Constitution being a shiny now.

“Another few minutes,” Gray replied. “He should sit down if he’s going to throw up so he doesn’t faint. He tends to do that after he loses whatever meal he just ate,” he said in a matter of fact tone.

“Yeah,” Nate replied as he turned to Neal and got him to stand up. “Plan Q,” he whispered to Neal.

“No no no no no,” Neal whispered, actually whimpering now. “I’m fine. Not plan Q.”

Nate blinked as he saw the actual fear in Neal’s eyes and turned to Gray. “He’s going to be fine,” he said as he kept Neal behind him. “Hardison,” he hissed into the ear piece.

“Suit yourself,” Gray said as he turned back to his instruments. He raised an eyebrow as he saw something wrong with one of the instruments testing the ink. He moved over to it and looked at the readings. He pushed the button for the machine to test again as he pulled out a gun and pointed it at Nate. “Put him in the SUV. Now,” he said in a growl.

“Why?” Neal asked.

“You know exactly why, Nealan,” Gray replied and kept the gun pointed on Nate. “Now or the sniper takes out Sophie. And this time, she will remain dead.”

Nate grabbed Neal’s arm, moving towards the car before moving quickly to the pavement and pulling Neal with him. “About time!” He hissed into the ear piece as the black sedans pulled into the parking lot, surrounding Gray as he quickly dropped the gun.

*~*~*~*

_“Hardison, you have your badge on you, right?” Nate asked as he was driving Neal and Parker back to the parking lot._

_“Yeah, why?” Hardison asked._

_“Call the FBI and say that Neal Caffrey is helping to take down someone and give them the location. And do it quickly so we don’t die or have to do something else that we don’t like," Nate said._

_“Of course,” Hardison said and did what Nate wanted him to do._

*~*~*~*

Neal breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed his hat that had fallen off of his head. He smiled as he put it back on, all the nerves and the pale face gone. “Who called them?” He asked.

“Hardison,” Nate replied in a whisper to Neal as he produced a US Marshalls badge. “Don Howard,” he said to the agent he was sure was McTaggart from the photos Hardison had shown them. He looked and saw Gray in cuffs before turning back to Taggart. “We’ve been looking for him for a while. He’s been involved with smuggling and kidnapping of one of our witnesses, but you guys can have the credit. Just ship him around when you’re done with him.”

“Oh – thanks,” Taggart said as he moved to put Gray in the back of his vehicle as Nate turned Neal around to walk back to Parker. 

Parker smiled up at them as she nodded to an agent talking to her. “Thanks for your help, Marshall Howard,” she said to Nate with a nod. “Agent Jones will take him from here.”

Agent Jones moved and took Neal’s arm, moving him to a car. “We were wondering where you were,” he said to Neal.

“Mostly helping out,” Neal replied back with a charming smile. “It was time sensitive.”

“As some things are with you,” Agent Cruz said with a smile at Neal.

“And here I thought you would be happy to have me back under your watch,” Neal said with a grin as he got into the backseat of the sedan.

“Never a dull moment,” Jones said to Cruz as she got into the car. 

“Right,” Cruz said before closing her door. She watched the blonde FBI agent, who she was sure she hadn’t seen before, walk off with the Marshall. She let it go as they drove off, getting Neal back to the hospital where Elizabeth and Kate were waiting for him.


	10. Taking Peter Home

A week had passed since what had happened with Gray and Neal was happy to be picking up Peter to get him out of the hospital. He smiled at the people as he walked to the elevator, getting in when it appeared and pressing the button for Peter – well, dad’s – floor. He had been coming by as often as he could after everyone was done interviewing him. He kept the straight face when they got Nate’s US Marshall identity on the phone, who explained more on how Gray was a bastard. Neal was very happy that the man who had been the source of nightmares ever since he was fourteen was finally in a dark hole. He knew that he would have to testify but he would worry about that when the time come. He looked up as he heard the ping and saw it was floor. “Excuse me,” he said with a charming smile to the nurse he brushed past. He walked down to Peter’s room, knocking on the door before he came in. “They still haven’t gotten around to discharging you?” He asked as he sat down in the empty chair.

“Considering I’m still here, that would be a no,” Peter replied as he turned from the window. “Thanks for coming to get me.”

“It’s no problem with me – they dropped me off here and said that either you or I would be the one driving back,” Neal said as he looked at the bag on the bed. “How long have you been packed?”

“Since I woke up,” Peter replied. “I know that there was an emergency, but I don’t know if he had to be called in for surgery or what is wrong.”

“Want me to go see what’s wrong?” Neal asked as one of the nurses came in with the paperwork. “Or not,” he said with a smile to her. “Hello.”

“Don’t,” Peter said and took the paperwork from the nurse when she handed it to him. He skimmed it over before putting it down and signing with his left hand. 

Neal got up and stood behind Peter to look, noticing that the signature with the left hand was identical to if Peter was using his right hand. “Special skill or you could just always do that?”

“Bit of both,” Peter replied. “Besides, it’s helpful when I needed to go undercover.”

“How long did that take you to learn?” Neal asked.

“A while,” Peter replied. “I’m not teaching you.”

“How do you know Moz didn't already teach me?” Neal replied and shrugged. “You’ve been super strict with the staying on the straight and narrow since you woke back up.”

“Considering a new detail in our interactions with each other, I would think that you would understand,” Peter said as he tried to put on his jacket.

“True,” Neal said as he moved to help Peter get it over the arm in the sling. “How long are you going to have that on for?”

“Until the doctor says to take it off,” Peter said. “Six weeks at least. Even though it didn’t hit bone, they still want to be careful. So we’re going to be on desk duty for a while.”

“We?” Neal asked raising an eyebrow. “You can do desk duty. I’ll go play with Cruz and see if real work can’t be done.”

“Or you could just take time off and be with Kate,” Peter pointed out with a smile that quickly turned into a frown as a wheelchair was brought into the room. “What is that?”

“A wheelchair,” the nurse replied. “Standard operation procedure is to wheel the patient out.”

“I think you have to use it then,” Neal said with a grin as he picked up Peter’s bag. "Or I'll tell El."

Peter sat down in the wheelchair without another word. “He can wheel me out,” he said and motioned at Neal.

“Fine with me,” Neal said as he slung the bag over his shoulder and started to wheel Peter out of the room and towards the elevator.

Peter waited until he was outside of the nurse’s ear shot before he started. “I really don’t see why I have to. My legs are fine. My arm on the other hand – what, would they wheel that part out of the hospital for me?”

“If you’re so against it, why did you just sit down?” Neal asked.

“I want to get out of here as fast as possible,” Peter replied. "And you invoked telling El."

“And I'd go through with that threat," Neal said. "She told me to say again that she was sorry she couldn’t come.”

“She didn’t have to worry about coming. She has to work – we all do,” Peter said.

“Yeah, but she feels bad about it, like any normal wife would,” Neal said. He was about to say something else when the elevator arrived. People moved back to make room as Neal backed in with Peter. He made sure that the elevator doors closed and fell into a bit of silence.

“What?” Peter asked as he looked up at Neal.

“I’ll tell you in the car,” Neal replied quietly as he reached inside his pocked and fingered the small slim box that was there. He wanted to tell Peter first, even stopping himself from telling El on the phone earlier. He was glad when the elevator opened on the first floor and he wheeled Peter out. 

“Okay,” Peter said as Neal stopped the wheel chair and he stood up. “Much better,” he said as he took the keys out of his pocket and handed them to Neal. “And you drive this once.”

Neal grinned as he took the keys and let Peter lead the way to the car. “So, I’m going to ask Kate to marry me.”

“You haven’t already?” Peter asked.

“Yes, I did but then you made her disappear,” Neal replied. “You could have told me.”

“And put her in danger, which would have gotten you angrier at me if something happened?” Peter asked.

“Fair point,” Neal said as they came up to the car. He unlocked the car and made sure that Peter was comfortable. He closed the door and got in on the driver's side. He drove out of the parking lot, taking a left.

“Neal, it’s a right,” Peter said.

“No, it’s a left,” Neal replied. “And then the highway until that exit that has a color in it.”

“We’re supposed to go to the office,” Peter replied calmly. All Neal had to do was give him a look about that. “El called me off for the rest of the day.”

“And tomorrow,” Neal answered.

Peter sighed and relaxed into the seat. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself.”

“Let her take care of you and soak in all the nice things that come with being a hero,” Neal quipped.

“I'm not a hero,” Peter said as they got onto the highway. He let the silence hang between then before he noticed something with the car. “Is it me or is the car acting differently?”

“I’m not sure?” Neal said. “I’ve only rode in the car.”

“There’s something off,” Peter replied. “Pull over and we’ll take a look.” It was that moment that Peter’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out and opened it with a simple “Burke here.”

“Put me on speaker phone,” Gray said in an icy voice. “I’d be quick about it, Peter. This is a time sensitive matter.”

Peter did put the phone on speaker phone. “What do you want Gray?”

Neal looked at the phone, then Peter, before putting his eyes back on the road and dodging a car that he was about to rear end. “Shit,” he cursed.

“Ah, Nealan, it is most refreshing to hear you curse again,” Gray said with a chuckle. “What I want, I cannot have, so we’re going to go a different route that will have the blood on your hands. Considering this is Peter’s car, he must have noticed something was running wrong with it.”

Neal looked at Peter, not noticing the road before Peter pulled the steering wheel hard to the right. “Eyes on the road or you’re going to kill us before the psychopath does.”

“Now Peter, if you’re going to call names, I’m just going to have to press the button in front of me. It’s a nice big red button that really shouldn’t be pressed. Now, what you have under your car is a very special present of mine to Nealan. It’s just icing on the cake that you’re in the car because you don’t know if you’re going to die because of me or because Nealan can’t keep his eyes on the road.” There was a slight chuckle at the end of that as Neal kept his eyes firmly on the road. “If you try to leave the car, the bomb will go off. If you hit another car, the bomb will go off. If you try to just drive and run out of gas, the bomb will go off. If you piss me off for the wrong reason, the bomb will go off. The only way to make the bomb not go off is for you to bring young Nealan to me. It is time to complete his training.”

“No fucking way,” Neal replied as he did a sharp U-turn into oncoming traffic. He had seen the perfect opportunity to end this once and for all. He looked at Peter. “I’m sorry. Jump when you want to.”

“You are not doing this,” Peter said as he tried to take control of the wheel again.

Neal let him do so for a moment before hitting Peter in the lower part of his injured shoulder. It made Peter give up the wheel as he took it back. “I’m sorry,” he said to Peter. “I’m so sorry. But you need to jump now.”

Peter looked at Neal and then at the wall that was coming up quickly. He tried the door, unlocking it before realizing it wouldn’t open. “It’s stuck,” he said. “Neal, it’s stuck! Go another way!”

All Neal could hear was the pounding of blood in his ears, a drumbeat, as he drove the car directly into the wall.


	11. the End?

“Do you really think this is going to work?” Neal asked as he watched the people file in for Peter’s funeral. He didn’t like that they were using the con of being dead, but he would go with it. He tilted his head as he heard the bagpipes and just gave Peter a look.

“Standard funeral music," Peter said.

“We don’t even know if Gray is going to show up,” Neal said pessimistically.

“You can drop the bad mood and being a sulking kid anytime,” Peter said as he took a long sip of coffee. “If this works, then we’ll be completely done with Gray for a very long time.”

“And what if it doesn’t? I don’t like playing dead,” Neal said. “I also don’t like Kate and El being without us.”

“If we don’t catch him here, we’ll do it when Kate spreads your ashes,” Peter said. “I don’t understand why you’d rather be cremated.”

“Better than being put back into the ground and being able to be made into a zombie,” Neal said as he started to crack his knuckles.

“Stop that,” Peter said as he looked back to the video screens. “Sniper two, zoom in on row five.”

“What did you see?” Neal asked, the argument forgotten as he leaned forward. He was careful to not knock Peter’s arm, which was now in a full cast due to escaping the car.

“Something out of place,” Peter said as he watched the camera on the sniper’s view piece zoomed in on the crowd. He grabbed the radio that was close to where they were sitting. “All units, close in on row five of the mourners, no weapons unless he fires first. Gray is wearing a black pinstripe suit with a gray fedora.” He got up to get out of the van before Neal grabbed his good arm. “What?”

“We’re supposed to be dead, remember?” Neal said. “Best sign of a con is not blowing your cover.”

“…right,” Peter said as he sat down. “I don’t like this.”

“Not surprised,” Neal said with a chuckle and looked to the van door when he heard the doors open. “Peter duck!” he yelled as he got down, putting the chair over himself to protect himself.

Peter got under the desk in time, pulling out his gun and shooting the man three times in the chest. He slowly got up, ignoring the pain in his arm as he made his way over to the shooter. Noting that the man wasn’t breathing, he moved to the radio. “Shots fired, shooter down. Did you get Gray?”

"No, it was a decoy," Cruz said over the radio. "But the both of you can come out - there was a note with the victim."

“Come on,” Peter said as he got out of the van and Neal followed. They got over to Cruz quickly and he took the note, reading it over. "Happy to see both of you are alive. We'll finish this another time and in another way - Gray."

"So we don't get to calm down," Neal said.

"No, but at least we don't have to pretend we're dead anymore," Peter said. "Thanks Cruz." He looked to Neal. "We can put you in the Witness Protection program."

"… What?" Neal asked.

"It's up to you," Peter said. "You'd have to give up a bit more than Gray, but you'd be safe."

"He can get to me there just as easily here," Neal said. "I want to stay here for now. If I change my mind, I'll tell you."

"Deal," Peter said. He smiled as El came over to them and gave her a one armed hug. "How about home for now?"

"Sure dad," Neal said with a grin and followed them. He looked over his shoulder, seeing nothing, but knowing that he was going to be looking over his shoulder for a long time to come.

**Author's Note:**

> The italics in the first chapter are from [here](http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4804922/33/Scribbles_and_Scratches) as an adopted plot bunny from fanfiction.net user peppymint. The rest is my own.


End file.
